Just For Her
by LunaBellCate
Summary: Joshua is rich, powerful... and bored. Temporarily banned from the UG because of the last game, he's stuck in the RG. So he's miserable. He can just die. The dead were more interesting, anyway - Until he finds someone to live for. Rating may rise : .
1. Chapter 1

A/N:: Heyyy I'm neeeewwwww. So this story is probably going to suck :D. I reread and edit every chapter before I put them up, but knowing me, there's still probably going to be mistakes. . Feel free to review and tell me what you think :]. It would help tons ^-^.

He had power, money, people to do his bidding. He was intelligent, envied, and got everything he'd ask for. He lived a charmed life. Sure, mother and father weren't around that much, even on the holidays. They'd have a nice dinner for his birthday, but other than that, his parents were always traveling. Yoshiya Kiryu, Joshua to his parents and his former proxy; one of the richest boys in Japan, and definitely top in Shibuya. AKA the Composer; quite frankly, the owner of Shibuya. Well… _Was - _the Composer. A certain incident caused a lot of… Complications with the higher-ups.

"Josh?"

Snapping up from his daze, Joshua looked up at the WildKat café owner, Mr. Hanekoma. He was leaning over the counter, prompt up on his elbow, a curious expression on his face. Joshua chuckled. "Yes, Mr. H?"

"You spaced out there, Josh. Something on your mind?" Joshua stepped off the stool and left a few yen on the counter.

"Just bored. How people can live in such a dull world almost amazes me," he chuckled and grabbed his coat.

"You know, you've hardly been RG bound for two days. Give it a while and you may be surprised." Joshua let out a bit of a huff and faced the man with an accusing look. Mr. H was looking toward the door. "Hey there, Skulls Jr."

Joshua heard a giggle and turned his head. A small girl, maybe a couple years younger than him, had just closed the door. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold, well contrasting her otherwise pale skin. _'Skulls Jr.?'_

"Hello, Mr. H. I'm here to pick up some cupcakes?"

"Sure thing. I'll go check on them now," he smiled and noticed Joshua's strange expression. "Oh, where are my manners. Skulls Jr. this is Joshua." He smirked and walked to the back room.

"Nice to meet you, Joshua. I'm Rhyme," she said, swinging her feet from the stool she sat on.

"Likewise, dear," Joshua bowed slightly, but gracefully. She giggled and he cocked an eyebrow. A giggle without the slightest indication of flirting. More of a childish jingle. A rarity for the young heir to find in girls he meets. Except… Where does he know her from?

"I haven't seen you around here before," Rhyme noted. Joshua took a seat.

"Again, likewise. Since Mr. H has a nickname for you, I take it you've come here often?" Rhyme smiled and nodded, adjusting her bag hanging off her shoulder.

"I love the atmosphere here. It always feels so relaxing and…"

"Safe?"

"I suppose you can say that. Besides, the coffee here is great, too." She giggled and shifted a bit, her necklace jingling. Joshua smirked. She was charming. He coughed a bit. It was about time for him to go home if he didn't want to get sick. Looking back up, he noticed her staring at him.

"Mmm? Is there something on my face?" Joshua smirked, slightly moving his bangs out of the way.

"No, but you seem a little sick. Is that all you're wearing?" She tilted her head a bit, staring at his thin coat.

"Well, of course. Big clothes don't go well with me, dear," he blinked as she leaned over and pressed her forehead to his. Frowning a bit, she took off her scarf and put it around his neck. "H-hey --"

"You come here a lot don't you?" Joshua blinked and nodded. She giggled. "So take the scarf for now to keep you warm. You need it more than I do and you can always return it later." Just as he was about to argue further, Mr. H came back and cut him off.

"Here you go. A dozen cupcakes. Don't tell me they're all going to your brother, Rhyme," Mr. H placed two boxes on the counter. Rhyme giggled.

"Of course not. Only one of the boxes," she winked and they laughed. Joshua stood there, taking in what had just happened. A little girl who just met him gave away her scarf. Her nose and cheeks were still painted dark pink from the cold, and she expects him to think that he needs it more.

"Well, I'm off. If I'm not home soon, Beat will throw a fit," Rhyme jumped off the stool and made her way toward the door. "Nice meeting you, Joshua. Be safe going home and have some soup if you're still feeling sick." He merely nodded and waited until she was out the door to speak.

"… Neku's friend?"

"Mmhm. Pretty little girl, isn't she? How bout you catch up and walk her home?"

"And why would I do that?" Joshua flipped his ash blonde hair out of his face.

"I hear there's a good snow storm blowing in, and she lives quite far."

"This is the ogre's little sister we're talking about. If she can live with him, a storm should be no problem." He flipped his phone open and called his driver. _He _definitely wasn't going to trudge through snow. He's Joshua for crying out loud. Mr. H frowned and stared outside at the little black capped figure a couple of blocks away..

_'I hope you're right, Josh.'_

A/N:: Well that's the first chapter. Hopefully not too bad. :].


	2. Chapter 2

A/N:: Yaya chapter 2 :D. Please enjoy my first TWEWY fanfic ^-^.

Joshua stared out the window, the streets of Shibuya passing him by. Why did Mr. H have to give him such a hard time before he left? He barely knew the girl. In fact, he doesn't know a thing about her. Why would he care if she had trouble walking because of a little storm? Of course she was charming and conversation with her wasn't really horrible at all and she had a nice laugh and… '_Ooohhh no. Snap out of it Josh.' _The last thing _he _needed was to started thinking like a… a _teenager_. He snapped out of his gaze in time for an unfamiliar turn to catch his attention. He tapped on the glass dividing him and his driver.

"Is there a reason you're heading a different way?"

"There seemed to have been a car accident on our usual route. We'll take a detour and delay ourselves about five to ten minutes. I hope you don't mind, sir."

"Very well, then. I suppose there's no helping it," Joshua leaned back again, looking out to the unfamiliar streets. He raised an eyebrow. Driving a limo through the ghetto? Is this man insane? The car made a screeching stop and Joshua's seatbelt nearly choked him to the UG. "What's the problem now?!" He heard a bang in the front and stepped out of the car.

"YO WHAT THE FRICK MAN?" A blonde teenager banged his skateboard on the car again, leaving a nice dent.

"Sir, calm down. We weren't able to see you in this storm!" The driver urged. Joshua smirked. He was pretty convincing.

"WELL EXCUUUSSEEE _YOU_ THEN," he hit the car once more.

"Do you think you'll be able to pay for that damage?" The teen turned to the other side of the car. His nostrils flared up.

"Figures it's _your_ prissy ass out ta' kill people," The boy huffed. Joshua noticed his eyes darting around. Looking for something, perhaps. He stared at him. He wasn't wearing more than pajama pants, a T-shirt, and sneakers. His hat too, of course.

"Beat, please. Don't blame us for your failed suicide attempt."

"WHAT'S THIS SMUICIFE SHIT? YA MAKIN' FUNNA ME?!" Beat stepped forward, a fist and his board ready. Joshua backed up a step, remembering he didn't have his Composer powers for the time being.

"Calm down there, tiger. Is there a reason you're out for blood today in your pj's?" Joshua put his hand on the handle of the car door. A dented car he can deal with, but a dented face he'd _rather_ live without.

"I ain't out for blood dumbass. I'm tryna' find ma' lil sis," he sneezed suddenly, the cold finally catching up to him. Joshua's heart skipped a beat. It's been an hour and a half since she left WildKat. Beat got on his skateboard. "Yo, I ain't got time fo' you right now. I needa find my sis."

"Mr. Kiryu, shall we be on our way? I'll see to it that the dent is repaired."

Joshua nodded and proceeded to getting in the car, but not before his sensitive hearing caught a faint jingle. He glanced in the direction of the sound. A couple of men rounding the corner caught his attention. One was holding a WildKat box. The other, a small red messenger bag and a necklace. He shut the door quickly and watched the men out of the safety of the limo. He knew very well the items Rhyme had on her when she left WildKat. The fact that those men had them now unsettled him. He opened the door.

"Mr. Kiryu?"

"Follow those men for me. I'll call you when I need you." The driver didn't respond. "Got that, Kariya?" Joshua looked in the car. No one. He smirked and walked off. Trusting that reaper with his RG identity may have been one of his best decisions.

Joshua pulled Rhyme's scarf higher over his face. It definitely helped against the cold. And it smelled like cotton candy and strawberries. He drew his mind from that thought and looked around on the block. The storm was getting stronger, but the men's footprints were still visible enough for him to follow. _Around the corner. _He turned and caught sight of a couple of smashed cupcakes and scattered footprints. _She ran. _The tracks stopped in the middle of the block, right in front of a darkened alley. He walked in cautiously, but it wasn't until he was stopped by a tall fence that he noticed a small coat and a black beanie. Joshua felt his heart stop. Then started up. And got faster. What was this? A strange feeling he hadn't experienced in a while... Frustration? Panic? No. _Anger. _Pure bloody anger. He slammed his fist against the wooden fence.

"Mmph…"

"What…" Joshua stared at the fence. He heard something. He looked up, noticing barbed wire tied to each end of the alley. But except for the ends, the rest of the wire was not visible. He frowned and climbed on top of the dumpster to get a better view. Damn he hated breaking a sweat. Finally up, his eyes followed the wire down until blonde hair caught his attention. '_Oh holy angels.'_

Joshua got onto the fence and jumped to the other side. Tangled in the barbed wire, hovering just two feet over red tainted snow, was Rhyme. The sight startled him; she looked like a fallen angel. He swallowed hard and approached her. He _severely _hated blood. Gently lifting her limp body onto his shoulder, he got to undoing the spiky mess from her waist and legs. Earning himself a few cuts, Joshua cradled her and walked out of the alley before anything else happened. But no sooner had he stepped out was he ambushed.

The nausea from seeing the blood and the sudden knock on his head had him spinning in and out of reality. His ears were ringing and his head was thumping. All in all, he was completely out of it. _'Mmph… Ughh… What… Rhyme. RHYME.' _Joshua stumbled up from the snow and whirled around. Two dark figures and blonde hair caught his eyes.

_'No…'_

A/N:: Oh dear, I'm feeling evil today ;]. Anyone think it's okay? Terrible? Anything? O-O???


	3. Chapter 3

A/N:: I'm back :]. Been a little hectic lately but it's all good now… Mostly hehe. You all know the deal with junior year and getting ready for college and stuff. Now I'm a senior and I should be up and running with this story. But yeah, anyway, you can chastise me for being a horrible author later. Enjoy the chapter~

A/N:: Because I'm such a neglectful author, I made this returning chapter longer than the other two. And well, I realized I kind of left on a cliffhanger OTL.

_

Disclaimer:: I'm pretty sure I don't own The World Ends With You. If I did, the user would be able to battle with Rhyme instead of her short stay in the game ;]. And perhaps more romance, but that's because I'm a sucka for that sort of thing x];;.

The air smelled of curry, an intolerably spicy kind. Joshua's nose twitched, but he couldn't move well enough to scratch. _'Atleast it's warm.' _Wincing in pain, Joshua rolled onto his side for comfort. Realizing it was chilly, he pulled the blanket higher over himself… _'BLANKET?' _Joshua shot up, only to flop back down when his head met open palm. He grabbed his head and groaned. Looking up, he found that the palm belonged to none other than the older Bito sibling.

"Yo man, you aiight?" Beat leapt over the couch and sat on a coffee table to face Joshua.

"Ahhh… Yeah, I think so."

An awkward silence filled the air. Obviously the two weren't used to talking on peaceful grounds. Joshua used this moment to sit up carefully and take in his surroundings. It was a small room with a TV, a couple of coffee tables, chairs, and the couch he was currently sitting on. A radiator sat in the corner, but by the feel of the room, it didn't work well. The walls were covered in peeling paint; showing off its chestnut wood under. It didn't exactly suit Joshua's taste, but it didn't bother him all too much. What did, was the reason he was there.

… What _was _the reason? He had run into Beat on the drive home. He went to find Rhyme and ended up in an alley. After finding her, he took her out of the barbed wire and…

_'And then what?' _Joshua groaned a bit. His head was throbbing and he couldn't think straight. _'What happened after…?' _An vague image of blonde hair and blood was stuck in his mind, but that did nothing but strengthen the thought that something horrible occurred.

"Aye, listen." Joshua looked up at Beat, who was obviously uncomfortable with the situation. His head was lowered and the back of his neck had suddenly become really fun to play with. "I didn't think I owed ya' or nothin'. I still don't like you for killin' Neku and all… But I needed to, ya' know? Rhyme would'a been mad if I didn't."

"Rhyme?" Joshua blinked. "She's okay?"

"Yeah. Errr… Thanks, by the way," Beat frowned a bit. Gratitude and Joshua didn't fit well in his mind.

"For what?" Joshua asked. Beat looked at him strangely and shook his head.

"Those thugs rocked ya' good didn't they?" Beat huffed a bit and pointed at Joshua's head. He lifted his hand and noticed something peculiar. Bandages? "You should'a seen yourself, man. I didn't know you could look that crazy," Beat started to feel a little comfortable and smiled. "I mean, if I was Composer, I would've just zapped their asses to the UG."

"I'm afraid you've lost me. What exactly happened?" Joshua frowned. It wasn't fun being confused. Being confused in the RG in _Beat's _presence of all people didn't exactly make it any better.

_

_ Beat was hysterical. There was no sign of Rhyme anywhere between WildKat and the crib. He'd been tearing up the streets just in search of something; ANYTHING, that signaled him where his sister went. Rounding a corner, he heard a bunch of screaming coming from the next block. Nearing the commotion, Beat just couldn't believe his eyes. There was a kid with blood all over his head wrestling down and beating two thugs with a pipe. Snippets of the quarrel drifted over to where he stood._

"AYE GET OFF-"

"BASTARD-"  
"FU-"

"-RHYME!"

Beat, previously stuck in between going off or joining the fun, suddenly went stiff at the mention of his sister's name. He needed to hear more, but his ears became deaf as his eyes landed on a familiar blonde lying in a mound of snow.

"RHYME!" Beat took off full speed, the equivalence of an angry bull. The thugs were already beaten senseless on the floor, but when Beat got off his board, he let it 'accidentally' roll over one of the faces.

Beat took Rhyme's limp little body off the ground and cradled her. He well knew he was crying, and he didn't exactly have the mind set to give a damn who saw. She was still breathing, just faintly, and it agonized him. His senses came back to life when a blood covered iron rod landed next to him. Beat looked up to face… Joshua? The Composer had never looked so out of reality - or human in his case. Half his hair was matted with blood, and he didn't look like he could stand on his legs that much longer.

"Don't. Ever. Fucking. Touch… Her… Ag-" Joshua coughed, dropping down to his knees. A jingle caught Beat's attention and he noticed the necklace he gifted his sister clutched in the boy's fist.

"Aye man, you okay?" Beat asked, still gripping his little sister. Joshua looked as if he was going to turn to face the Bito brother, but instead collapsed face down. "Fuck."  


"I considered leaving you there, but Rhyme wouldn't 'a been so happy with me, you know? Considering you saved her and all 'a that," Beat finished. Joshua stared at him, completely dumbstruck.

_'So… I acted liked a complete lunatic, probably killed two people, and nearly died myself,' _Joshua sighed. Not to mention that without the big oaf, he'd be dead. _'All this for that girl? I probably just ate something funny.' _He stuffed his face in his palms and groaned for the third time in that half hour.

"… Thanks for not leaving me to die, then… Ah… Beat," Joshua half muttered, but the blonde heard. A small silence forced its way into the room, again. "Hey, I guess this covers the damage to my car."

As Beat was about to retort, he looked up and saw that Joshua was chuckling softly, a playful gleam in his amethyst eyes. Beat smirked, taking in that Joshua didn't seem all that pompous and all-mighty like he had pictured. He'd really only met the kid a couple of times, and through this whole incident, Joshua just seemed… Human. Like someone had sucked the Composer out of him. Oh, if only Beat knew just how right he was.

Squeaks and tiny thumps broke the silence and they looked over to the stairs connecting the living room and the second floor. Rhyme was standing on the steps in a big grey hoodie and long, baggy flannel pajamas, no doubt both belonging to her brother.

"Oi, Rhyme, you should be restin' up," Beat jogged over to his sister and she held up two tiny hands in her defense.

"I'm feeling better, Beat. Mind letting me have some dinner?" Right on cue, a small rumbling sound sang out from her stomach. Beat snorted and took her in his arms and into the kitchen.

Which left Joshua sitting on the couch, a tad dazed. Rhyme's bell-like giggle drifted out of the kitchen's doorway and into his ears, his nerves relaxing involuntarily. He almost felt completely at ease seeing that the girl was alright and walking. Looking down at his hands, Joshua ran through the situation in his head once more. Moments passed and a ridiculous grin etched its way onto his face. He fell backwards into the cushions. _What _on earthwas _happening_ to him? He felt absolutely crazy. Or insane at the very least.

"Joshua?" Rhyme's voice startled him, and he shot up to nearly head butt her. She gasped a bit and giggled. "Mind if I join you?"

Joshua nodded slowly and crossed his legs to make room for Rhyme to sit. She folded up her legs with a little hum and leaned sideways onto a pillow. Joshua noted the four skull band-aids on her cheeks; one on her left and three on her right. Another two decorated the top right of her forehead. The boy quickly diverted his gaze, realizing that he had been staring, but peeping out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rhyme twiddling with her fingers. Usually Joshua loved silence, or at least was very used to it, but this wasn't the kind he liked.

"Hey," he said with a start. Rhyme jumped a bit. "Aren't you hungry? Or did you want to sit next to me that badly?" Joshua smirked, trying to lighten the mood. She looked at him with wide blue eyes before giggling softly.

"Beat's making me some ramen. I like curry, but I don't think it would settle well in my system at the moment," Rhyme slightly unfolded her legs, getting a little more comfortable with each word she said.

Another uncomfortable silence ensued, neither knowing what to really say next. Joshua sighed. At least Rhyme wasn't looking so on edge as she was before. Her toes had dug in between the cushions of the couch, though, perhaps because of the chill in the room. Joshua slipped off the blanket and gently covered Rhyme to her shoulders. She seemed startled at first, but eased into his kind gesture. The ex-Composer caught the smile that graced the young girl's lips before he spaced out.

_'This girl will be the death of me if I continue dealing with her,' _Joshua inwardly sneered. Perhaps dying wouldn't be the worst idea. He could definitely win the game that _he _created. Suddenly, Beat's voice rang from the kitchen, knocking the two out of their deep thoughts.

"Aye, sis! Get it while it's still hot, won't ya'?" Rhyme called an okay to her brother and stepped off the couch.

Joshua watched her skip away. Her weight seemed focused on her left foot, the right possibly injured from the earlier incident. Once she was out of sight, Joshua leaned back into the couch, but it wasn't long until he felt a presence behind him. However, before he could turn to face whoever had joined him in the chilly room, he felt a warm tickling breath next to his ear.

"Thank you for saving me," Rhyme's small voice whispered. Her lips lightly touched Joshua's cheek, and the rhythmic pit-pat of her retreating steps exited the room. Joshua sat frozen in place, the unintentional sensation her innocent expression of gratitude produced creeping up his spine.

_'I've _got _to get out of here while I still have my sanity.'_

A/N:: I doubt this makes up for my absence this past… Year (?) but no worries. I won't be disappearing again. Loves and again, criticism, thoughts, and suggestions are warmly welcome!__

Josh pit grizzly:: Random username lol. Thank you! My first review :D. You would not believe how surprised I am. And no I wasn't aware I was referencing other Joshyme fanfics. But now that I thought about it, I think I see where you're getting at, though any similarities were not intentional ..

The Legendaerie LT:: OMG. I was freaked when I saw your comment xD. I read all your TWEWY fanfics and I absolutely LOVE them. I think it was Addiction that threw me off because it was just a tad dark and gasp and woah. Annnddd that aside because this response is a little long OTL; thank you for your review. I was really nervous about capturing the characters' personalities and such. So much editing e.e… But really your review made me flip so thank yoouuu :]].

Randian Warrior 501:: Lol thanks. I seriously didn't think I'd get a review but I suppose I stand corrected? Teehee ^-^. Well, it took me forever to upload this chapter, so I hope it was worth the wait :].


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:: Yay I got some good reviews! Responses are at the end of the chapter. Please **

**enjoy~**

Also, HUGE problems with my internet and laptop, so I'm dreadfully sorry for the late update. At least it wasn't months this time around u-u;;;. I would've definitely used my phone if I was able to upload from there, but alas, I am not that fortunate. OTL.

Disclaimer:: I do not own The World Ends With You, and sadly, I never will.

Rhyme shuffled through the medicine cabinet, looking for painkiller tablets to ease her body. Nothing was broken, but she couldn't go to sleep feeling like she'd just been run over. She didn't have much trouble walking, but her bed wasn't exactly made for a hurt teenager; the springs stabbing the bruises and cuts she earned through the ordeal the day before. Sighing when she couldn't find any medicine, she spared a look at the clock; 2:43 AM.

_'There's a 24-hour drug store a couple of blocks away…' _Rhyme tiptoed to Beat's room and opened the door a crack to peek inside. Her brother was sprawled out on his bed, out like a light. She giggled softly to herself and swiftly made her way to her own room.

Slipping on her sneakers, Rhyme quietly stepped down the stairs. Knowing it was going to be cold, she had changed into a pair of hand-me-down jeans and an oversized hoodie. She had lost her coat when the strangers chased her down the alley and grabbed her. Rhyme frowned, remembering she lost her hat, too. Better than losing her life, she supposed.

The living room was nearly pitch black, the only light coming from a flickering street light outside. Rhyme paused at the bottom of the stairs and looked as best as she could toward the couch. Her parents insisted that Joshua stayed over until his head was better, him of course saying he was fine and that his driver could pick him up. Unfortunately for the young heir, the snow had gotten so deep that the limo would not have been able to make the trip.

Not seeing any sign of movement, Rhyme tiptoed to the door. After double checking that she had her keys, her cell phone, and money, she reached out for the door knob. The second the tips of her fingers touched the cold metal, however, a bright light flooded the room. Rhyme jumped and spun around to see a certain ashen haired boy leaning against the wall, his finger still on the light switch.

"Going anywhere, Raimu darling?" Joshua rubbed his eye, clearly as tired as she was. He had on some of Beat's clothes since his were soaked and therefore, not suitable for a recovering teenager. Rhyme had to admit, though, he didn't look all that bad in Wild Boar clothing. He was wearing brown cargo pants and a big red hoodie with the famous WB logo.

"Erm… Well I couldn't sleep. I just wanted to go to the drug store a couple of blocks away…" Rhyme fidgeted with a lose string on her sweater. Joshua chuckled softly.

"And you believed that was a good idea after what happened just hours ago?" He inquired, silently thanking the Angels that he wasn't able to sleep, either.

"Well…" Rhyme blushed, not knowing how to respond. Joshua was intimidating; especially after what Beat had told her about him being the Composer of Shibuya. "It's just… We don't have any more medicine. It's not that long of a walk."

Joshua moved a few stray strands of hair from his face and sighed. By common sense, the girl would not being feeling up and dandy after the day she had, so surely her parents should've been prepared with aspirin and all that jazz. He tapped his chin softly and observed the obviously uncomfortable child in front of him. She had been on edge around him since the incident and decided that it was only normal, but it was getting on his nerves a bit. Why it bothered him, he didn't dare place the reason.

"I suppose there's no helping it," Joshua shrugged and started pulling on a pair of red sneakers that Beat had outgrown a few years ago. After lacing up the kicks, he stood to face a puzzled looking blonde. "You aren't going there alone, and I'm obviously not getting any sleep until you do."

"But-" Rhyme wanted to protest, but before she knew it, the boy had grabbed her wrist and they were out the door.

"Before your big brute of a sibling notices we've left, please."

The dark sky was clear, the crescent moon gently illuminating the thick blanket of snow over Shibuya. The wind had calmed considerably, and Rhyme thought it was a beautiful night. Granted it was still very chilly outside, and the deserted streets weren't comforting, she felt at ease. She looked up at her escort. He was staring ahead with an unreadable expression, but she smiled at the soft pink tint on his nose and cheeks.

"This seems to be our stop," the boy paused, examining the neon 24-hour sign in the store's window. "Be in and out, won't you? I don't feel like catching a cold tonight." Rhyme nodded and stepped forward, but noticed she couldn't go much further.

"Ahh… Joshua?" He met her eyes. Was her face that pink a second ago? "I might need my hand." He looked down, realizing that his fingers were still tightly entwined around hers. Abruptly letting go, he looked away and motioned for her to go inside.

_'What is WRONG with me?' _Joshua inwardly growled at himself, blaming his subconscious act of protectiveness on his lack of sleep. Why did he even stop the child in the first place? He could've just let her go. The store was literally a six minute walk from her house, and no person in their right mind would be walking around to rob someone at 3 AM.

Inside, Rhyme wandered the health aisle, repeatedly overlooking the medicine she was meaning to buy. She was getting a strange feeling in her stomach, and she wasn't sure whether or not it was good thing. Something about Joshua holding her hand gave her chills, but the young girl couldn't figure the reason why. Around him, she couldn't help but feel a bit foolish, but maybe it was because he acted so mature for a teenage boy. Perhaps she was just intimidated. Or maybe… Rhyme gasped. _'No… __**No**__ no I don't think so.' _She bit her lower lip, startled with the stray thought that popped into her head. She needed to talk to Shiki.

Joshua tapped his foot impatiently. Surely the child knew what she was going to buy, so what was taking her so long? He hadn't even seen her approach the clerk. The knee deep snow started sinking through his clothes and his body heat was melting it into uncomfortable water. He blinked, realizing it had been a while since he was able to actually _feel _cold. It was almost refreshing. Often times, he would just drift into the UG and avoid the Real Ground's imperfections. He smirked to himself, the nostalgic thoughts of childhood filling his mind. Joshua loved Shibuya, but he hated where it had been going. Now that he was back and stuck, he was starting to remember what it was like just being… Mortal.

Rhyme had finally exited the aisle, her little container of pills in her hand. She had sent a quick text to Shiki, knowing the girl would see it first thing in the morning. The two needed to talk. Not just about what Rhyme had been feeling around Joshua, but catch up, as well. She hadn't been neglecting to speak with Shiki and Neku, but the two had started spending time together just alone, and Rhyme didn't want to interrupt whatever was in between them. They weren't going steady yet from what she knew, but keeping a little distance from the couple-meant-to-be was only going to be healthy for them.

The walk home was slow and uneventful. Joshua decided to avoid any contact with the young Bito sibling, save for the occasional nod. Rhyme felt like she was on pins and needles, thinking she might've angered him by taking so long in the store. In fact, she was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice when he finally spoke.

"-key?" Rhyme looked up. They were standing in front of her house.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"May I have the key?" Joshua repeated, almost smirking at her innocent expression. She fumbled around for the key and handed it to him. He chuckled and led them through the doorway, returning the keychain before locking the door behind them. Sighing, he turned around to… Get punched in the face.

Spiraling in and out of consciousness, Joshua was experiencing a strong case of de ja vu. Voices swam in his ears, but he couldn't understand the words. Grabbing his head and rolling over onto his side, he could only make out blurry patterns of shapes. An orange and yellow blob got closer to him, whispering something that sounded a lot like gibberish on a faulty television set.

"… Jauh… Her…"

"… Coo… Muth…"

Strawberries and cotton candy invaded Joshua's nose. A familiar scent that put him at ease. His head was being lifted off the ground and onto something soft. It was too warm and stable to be a pillow, but at that moment he didn't care. Cold fingers brushed his bangs out of his face. It was almost like paradise. Almost. The desperate thumping in his head was just about as bad as noise.

"I didn't hit him THAT hard!"

"He's still recovering from earlier!"

"Recovering from what?"

"The fool went bat shit crazy on some thugs."

"WHAT?"

Joshua groaned, tired of the voices in his head. Opening his eyes, he came face to face with a familiar blue eyed blonde. Her face was laced with concern as she worked with loosening his bandages. He felt her breath on his face, thawing away the chill from outside and soothing his aching nose. She met his eyes and sighed of relief.

"Oh dear, are you worried about little old me?" Joshua choked out a pathetic chuckle attempt and made to sit up, but Rhyme rested her hands on his shoulders to keep him on her lap.

"Sit still for a few minutes, okay?" Rhyme moved the hair from his face again. Joshua complied, realizing that getting up may not be the best idea at the moment. Just then, he noticed three other figures standing over him; Neku, Beat, and a short haired girl with glasses he didn't recognize.

"Anyone care to tell me why the **composer** is here in the _first_ place?" Neku crossed his arms and looked accusingly at the older Bito sibling. Beat glared at him for a second and turned his attention back to Joshua and Rhyme.

"Where'd ya'll go? I was flippin' out, so I called Neku and Shiki over to the hood," Beat busied himself with the back of his head again. "I thought you know, something happened again." 

Rhyme explained the story to Beat while Joshua lay there, feeling out of place. He wasn't used to people standing above him, save the Angels. And he couldn't really understand Shiki's appearance. He knew her look was changed during the game, but he didn't expect her to look so… Different. Her fashion sense was quite the opposite of how he imagined. He figured since she was friends with a so-called designer to be, she would've picked up on a little more. The confusion was making his brain ache, and Neku glaring daggers at him wasn't all that soothing, either.

"… And so here we are. Joshua just went along so I'd be safe. I'm sorry for worrying you guys," Rhyme bit her lower lip lightly.

"So why is Joshua even here?" Neku frowned, displeased about the possibilities running through his head.

"We thought you got into trouble! I got your text saying you needed my help," Shiki frowned, as confused as Neku was. "After Beat called us, we ran here as fast as we could!"

"No! Joshua has been nothing but nice to me, I promise," Rhyme protested. Joshua scoffed at this slightly. If so, why had she been so on edge around him? Neku threw a disbelieving look at Rhyme and raised a hand to her forehead, which she promptly swatted away. "I'm not going insane, Neku. Joshua…" Rhyme sighed, subconsciously fingering the band-aids on her face. "… He saved my life."

"WHAT? He _took _**mine**," Neku growled, his resentment toward Joshua glowing in bright, frightful colors. "And let's not forget his little minions could've wiped you off the face of the world _permanently._"

Shiki put her hand on Neku's shoulder as silence passed through the group, no one really knowing what to say. Rhyme lowered her head and busied herself with Joshua's bandages. He had taken to fiddling with a loose thread sticking out of Rhyme's sweater. Whatever happened to Rhyme wasn't _his _fault. Keeping track of every player in the Game wasn't exactly his duty. No. His job was to run a fair chance back to life for everyone. If there were any problems, Megumi would inform him. Anything went amiss, Mr. H would investigate. And unlike his former Proxy's ticket into the Game, he didn't go out and take a gun to Rhyme's head.

Joshua avoided Neku's death glares, deciding to focus on the rebellious string of Rhyme's sweater. He hadn't expected to see Neku during his little stay in the RG, so this whole fiasco just threw him off. _Him. _The Co-… Well, _ex-_Composer of Shibuya. Of course Neku would be upset, but he had heard the thoughts going through his head the day he reunited with his little friends. Perhaps when reality hits, there's just a few things people can't get by, no matter how long they think about it.

"Hey, Phones?" Everyone's eyes turned to Beat, who was looking as if he'd been a mouse cornered by three oversized cats. "Don't get me wrong here, aiight? But anyone who saves my lil' sis is okay in my book." Neku's eyebrows shot up, as well as Shiki's and Joshua's. Rhyme smiled, grateful for Beat's intervention. "And 'sides. You should've seen how this kid _looked. _It was insane! Like someone just shook the Composer out of him and he went **nuts**."

"Mmm… Not too far off the mark, I'm afraid," Joshua mumbled. A pause ensued after the older Bito's speech as all heads faced down to look at the two still on the floor. Neku sighed, his eyebrows knitting together.

"How about explaining what happened to make you two," Neku gestured to Beat and Joshua. "- Best buds." He stretched out a hand to Joshua, which he reluctantly took and stood up, as slow and efficiently as he could manage. The lot followed Beat to the kitchen, but Shiki pulled Rhyme off to the side.

"Alright, I guess you weren't in trouble. So what was with that text?" Shiki whispered, adjusting her glasses. Rhyme bit her lip and glanced at the kitchen doorway.

"It's about Joshua," Rhyme answered, pulling on her sleeve a bit. "You see, there's this feeling I get around him. I thought it might be because Beat told me he was the Composer, but I don't think I'm exactly frightened at all. He's actually really nice and-" Shiki gasped and covered her mouth to suppress a squeal. Rhyme jumped, a tad startled.

"Rhyme! You - Oh no, _DO _you?" Shiki exclaimed, perhaps in the loudest whisper imaginable.

"Uhm…" Rhyme blinked, trying to fathom her best friend's excitement.

Shiki let herself calm down. It _couldn't _be, could it? Though she had to admit, Joshua wasn't bad looking, if anything just a little feminine. He's the kind of guy that could pull off Pegaso Atelier or Dragon Couture wear, and those stores had really trendy, albeit _expensive _clothes. She was guessing the Wild Boar wear were lent to him by Beat; the oversized baggy skater not fitting well with Joshua's face, or personality for that matter. Well, with the bandages on his head, it was hard for him not to look a little badass. He seemed to come a long way from the Joshua she saw at the end of Neku's third Game if he earned Beat's respect, andeveryone deserves a second chance, even the Composer of Shibuya.

"Rhyme, tell me," Shiki leaned close to her friend's face, whose eyes widened with a mixture of fear and confusion. Shiki squeezed Mr. Mew closer, bracing herself for Rhyme's answer. "Do you have a _crush _onJoshua?"

**A/N:: For some odd reason, I'm finding a lack of motivation for this story. Fortunately, that is easily fixed with some time playing my Nintendo DS ^-^. Hope this chapter was worth the wait, and I'll try to update faster, and/or on a schedule. Again, criticism and such is greatly appreciated. Especially if you have any insight or think I may have taken everyone to a new level of OOC, because I having a feeling maintaining IC-ness is going to get difficult. I shall try my best though!**

The Legendaerie LT:: I did visit the forum, yes :D. Quite entertaining, but I've never posted/commented in the times I went :O. Thank you again for the review! I'm completely ECSTATIC that you're liking the story so far :].

Liber-T.E.A:: Thank you! I had a lot of fun imagining and writing that part :D.

The Infinite Dani-Chan Replika:: Lol! Well that is because, I didn't want to do the whole cliché boy saves girl, girl is stuck in bed, boy goes to visit, sits by her bed side and keeps her company thing. And well, I needed to continue the story somehow, and I'm just not creative or patient enough to include the massive pain she must be going through hehe u-u;;. If it accounts for anything, under her sleeves and pants are endless amount of skull band-aids? ;;;.

Mewglegrrl:: Thank you so much! I'm trying my best. Though it's getting just a tad more difficult keeping everyone IC with each chapter I write hehe -.

Kipper Snack:: Your review made my entire month LOL. One, because I thoroughly enjoyed being taught by an extremely ghetto Geology teacher with the name Lightbourn sophomore year. And two, your review was extremely random and had me giggling all day when I first read it haha.

UPDATE-  
Umbrella Beach:: Why yes, Joshua does :D. And haha yay I'm not an overly excited freak xD. And okie I'll drop by again and comment next time around just don't eat me hehe ;;.

-Sapphire00Moonlight-:: Thank you for your review! And haha I hope I can keep the characters _**in**_** character.**

A/N:: Thank you all for reading so far, and I hope I continue entertaining you :]]. Oh, and I COMPLETELY missed Umbrella Beach's and -Sapphire00Moonlight-'s reviews at first because I had this typed up for a while and well, didn't check. OTL. 


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